Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's early kickoff between West Ham United and Swansea City at Upton Park. Very few people would have expected this to be a top-four clash before the season began, but that is exactly where either of these sides could end up with a victory today, so we should be in for an interesting match. Let's start with a look at the hosts...

The Hammers have surpassed all expectations so far this season, with Sam Allardyce successfully overcoming a difficult start to the season in which his job was seemingly on the line before a ball had even been kicked. He was reportedly ordered to bring a better brand of football to Upton Park this season, and he has certainly delivered on that front, with West Ham putting in some very impressive performances so far.

They have reverted a little to a style more associated with Allardyce in recent weeks, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. They showed great character to come from behind against West Brom last time out, while their victory over Newcastle was also a battling one. Fans may prefer the nice football the Hammers have played at times this season, but on occasions Allardyce's usual style is more effective and will result in more points for his side.

Whatever style they have employed this season, it has certainly worked so far. No-one would have predicted them being up in fifth at this stage of the season, and victory this afternoon would see them rise into third for a day at least. The two teams directly above them in the table, Southampton and Manchester United, play each other on Monday, so this is a good chance for the Hammers to gain ground knowing that at least one of them will drop points.

A month ago it appeared that West Ham's good start to the season may begin to unravel, with the Hammers starting November with consecutive draws against Stoke and Aston Villa. Defeat to Everton followed, but they have now won two games in a row after that three-match winless streak. They have some winnable fixtures coming up before a tough festive period, so they will be keen to get more points on the board in the coming weeks and perhaps put themselves in a good position to challenge for Europe in 2015.

One thing that has been central to West Ham's improvement this season has been their goalscoring prowess. The Hammers were the sixth-lowest scorers in the Premier League last season, but they have found the back of the net 23 times in their 14 outings this term and have only failed to score in two matches. Defensively they could be a little tighter, having conceded 17 times this season, but at the other end of the field Allardyce will have no concerns.

The goals are coming from all over the field as well, which is always a recipe for success. The likes of Sakho were dominating the scoring early on, but none of West Ham's last five league goals have come from a striker, while seven of the previous nine had done. Indeed, they have had 11 different goalscorers already this season, and only Chelsea can better than tally.

Their home form has also been impressive, despite a dodgy start to the campaign at Upton Park. They lost their first two matches in front of their own fans, but have dropped just two points since that, winning four and drawing one of the next five. That run includes three clean sheets and victories over the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle, so they will be confident of beating any team that comes to East London right now.

Swansea will be confident themselves having also shocked a few people so far this season. Some were tipping the Swans for relegation with Garry Monk in charge, but the young manager has taken to his job like a duck to water and has really impressed so far. Swansea, like West Ham, have made their best ever start to a Premier League season, and things are looking bright for the South Wales outfit.

Results yesterday saw them slip down to eighth in the Premier League table, but a big enough victory this afternoon could see them climb into the top four. They would definitely move at least fifth with a win, leapfrogging West Ham in the process, while goal difference would be the only barrier preventing them from overtaking Manchester United as well. To be in the Champions League places coming up to Christmas would be a huge achievement for this Swansea side.

Consistency has been something of an issue recently, but the important thing for Monk is that his side are not losing matches at the moment. Only Manchester City have beaten them in their last six Premier League games, with Swansea winning three - including victory over Arsenal - and drawing two in that time. Monk will want to turn those draws into victories, but he will still be delighted with the way his side have performed so far this season.

The latest win came during the midweek fixtures, and it is a victory that would have especially pleased Monk. He labelled their win over QPR as the "complete performance", with Swansea dominating but being forced to be patient by a resilient QPR side. Eventually they found a way through, with Ki and Routledge scoring quickfire goals, but they had to wait until the final 15 minutes before they got their deserved victory.

Swansea success this season has largely been built on a solid defensive record. They have players who can hurt teams in the opposing final third, but at the other end of the pitch they have only conceded 14 goals in their 14 matches so far. In a season that has seen a lot of goals already, that is a very good record, and only Chelsea and Southampton have conceded fewer goals in the current campaign.

It is their form at the Liberty Stadium that has put them in such a good position, though, and their away form will be a real concern for Garry Monk. They have not won on the road since the victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening day, picking up just two points from a possible 18 in that time. Indeed, only five of their 22 points this season have come away from home, and only Leicester and QPR have picked up fewer on their travels.

Much of Swansea's success could perhaps be attributed to having a settled side. No team boasts more ever-presents in their staring XI than Swansea this season, with Garry Monk picking seven of his players for every Premier League match so far. Chelsea have a similar sort of feel to them, and being in no doubt as to your strongest side seems to be a recipe for success,

TEAM NEWS: Right, the teams are in for both sides, and the headline news is that Enner Valencia comes in for the hosts, with Carroll maintains his place up front. Song also comes into the side following an injury, with Amalfitano and Zarate the players to drop to the bench. Swansea, meanwhile, make just the one change as Angel Rangel comes in for the suspended Neil Taylor.

WEST HAM STARTING XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Song, Kouyate, Nolan; Downing, Carroll, Valencia

WEST HAM SUBS: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Collins, Amalfitano, Cole, Zarate, Sakho

SWANSEA STARTING XI: Fabianski; Rangel, Williams, Bartley, Richards; Ki, Britton, Sigurdsson; Routledge, Bony, Montero

SWANSEA SUBS: Tremmel, Amat, Tiendalli, Shelvey, Carroll, Dyer, Gomis

What can we make of those two sides, then? Well, there is certainly a vote of confidence for Carroll in starting this match, with Sakho left on the bench following his recent back injury. Carroll has not scored or assisted a goal for 756 minutes now, a run that stretched back 10 games, so a return to form can't come soon enough for the big striker. If that drought does not end soon then he may well lose his place in the side.

Supporting Carroll will be the returning Enner Valencia and Stewart Downing, whose form this season has earned him a recall to the England squad recently. They can certainly cause Swansea problems, and Valencia in particular is an added goal threat if West Ham can hoist high balls towards the back post. The summer signing is very good in the air, so if they can isolate him against the full-back then it could be an avenue for success for the hosts.

The return of Song in midfield is a boost for West Ham, and that trio of him, Kouyate and Nolan is a very good one. Nolan has not featured as much as he might have liked so far this season, but he got himself on the scoresheet against West Brom in midweek and will be looking to show Allardyce that he is still good for a regular place in the starting lineup. He couldn't ask for much better support in the shape of Kouyate and Song, who have both been excellent so far for West Ham.

West Ham have had their injury problems at the back this season, but in general they have coped pretty well with them. Jenkinson and Cresswell have really impressed on the flanks, while in the likes of Tomkins, Reid, Collins and O'Brien, West Ham have decent depth in that area and can lose one or two of them without suffering too much of a dip in quality.

They will be up against it this afternoon, though, with an in-form Wilfried Bony coming to town. The Ivorian striker has scored more Premier League goals in 2014 than any other player, finding the back of the net 18 times in the calendar year. He made a fairly slow start to the campaign but has hit top gear recently and is a big reason behind Swansea's best-ever start to a Premier League season.

Just as key to their success has been Gylfi Sigurdsson, with only Cesc Fabregas registering more assists than the Icelandic international this season. Together with Bony, they have created or scored 15 of their 19 league goals this season which, while showcasing their quality, may concern Monk. His side are in danger of becoming overly reliant on those two players, and it would be interesting to see how they'd cope should one of them pick up an injury.

Having said that, it was Ki and Routledge who got on the scoresheet against QPR last time out, and both of those players start again today. Montero is also included and will be looking to turn in the sort of performance that troubled Arsenal so much recently. Britton has overcome a knock to start, with the only change coming in defence where Angel Rangel replaces the suspended Neil Taylor.

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff here at Upton Park, which means that it is time for a prediction! Both of these sides have exceeded expectations so far this season, and there is still a sense that their good form will end sooner or later. Swansea's away form has been dreadful this season, and I think they'd be happy to get away with a draw from this one. West Ham will fancy the win to take them up to third, but I'm going to go for a 2-2 draw.

It really is a tough one to call today, and opinions were split on the Sports Mole sofa. Have a look at what we had to say in our video preview here:

Recent history certainly points towards a West Ham victory in this match, with the Hammers boasting a very impressive record against Swansea. They have won nine and lost none of their last 11 home matches with the Swans and unbeaten in their last three league matches home and away without having conceded a single goal in that time.

Indeed, Swansea have only ever won once away to West Ham in their 23 league meetings, and that victory came all the way back in 1956 in the old Second Division. Apart from that result, they have drawn five and lost 17 of their trips to Upton Park in the league over the years.

The players are out and ready to go here on a day that could see either side break into the top four. The corresponding fixture last season saw the Hammers run out 2-0 winners, with Nolan and Carroll getting on the scoresheet.

KICKOFF: Swansea get us underway as Upton Park as they look to leapfrog West Ham in the table. Can they do it, or will West Ham make it three wins on the bounce?

Decent start to the match from West Ham. They have got on the front foot early and are looking to take the game to Swansea, preventing the visitors from settling into the game in the opening minutes.

West Ham have gone with a midfield diamond as expected, but interestingly it is Downing who is playing at the tip in the opening exchanges. Nolan is on the left, but I'd expect those two to switch positions regularly throughout the match.

Almost a good chance for West Ham as a poor defensive header sees the ball drop to Valencia inside the box. However, he can't bring it under control and get a shot away before Swansea manage to get a foot in and clear the danger.

West Ham have a couple of tentative penalty shouts in the space of a few seconds, but Chris Foy waves away both claims. There weren't many complaints from the players either, and it was the right decision on both counts from the ref.

Still no goalmouth action in this one so far, but Allardyce will probably be the happier of the two managers so far. His side have settled into the game quicker and have enjoyed 65% of the ball in the opening 10 minutes.

Swansea haven't been able to get their foot on the ball and really stamp their authority on the game just yet. They have struggled away from home this season and have made a far from convincing start here too.

CHANCE! The first hint of a chance for either side as Jenkinson gets down the right flank and plays a dangerous ball towards the near post. Nolan latches on to it, but the defender just about does enough to put it off and the midfielder can only put his effort wide.

SAVE! Again the hosts threaten as a clever free kick arrives towards the front post, where Nolan has made the run.This time the midfielder gets his effort on target, but he can't get enough on it and Fabianksi makes the save. The ball quickly arrives back into the area, but Tomkins is thwarted and Swansea escape their biggest scare of the match so far.

Against the run of play it is Swansea who break the deadlock! Sigurdsson threads a pass down the left channel for Montero, who cuts it back into the middle for Bony. The in-form striker takes it beautifully, opening his body to pass a first-time effort into the net. Lethal from the visitors.

That goal came out of the blue from the Swans. They have offered nothing going forward other than that, but with a player like Bony in this form they only need one chance. Can West Ham respond now?

West Ham won't be panicking just yet despite that setback. They were forced to overturn a one-goal deficit last time out against West Brom and managed to get their noses in front before half time, so if they can get one back before the break here then they will be confident of completing another turnaround.

CHANCE! Decent chance for the hosts to restore parity as Cresswell plays the ball into the box for Carroll, who nods it down into a dangerous area. Valencia is there to turn it goalwards, but Williams throws himself in front of the shot and deflects it behind for a corner.

SAVE! Swansea make a rare break forward and force a stop from Adrian, but it is a comfortable one for the keeper. Sigurdsson went for goal from range, but his shot was straight at Adrian, who palmed it away.

Garry Monk will be pleased with this opening half an hour, even if his side have offered very little in the final third. They have only really had two sights of goal, but they have looked clinical when come forward, scoring one and tested Adrian with another.

West Ham have had more of the ball so far, but they have not tested Fabianski in the Swansea goal so far. The visitors have done a good job of containing the hosts so far, soaking up the pressure fairly comfortably.

CLOSE! Again Swansea threaten out of nothing, with Montero and Sigurdsson combining to catch Kouyate in possession. Sigurdsson slides his pass in to Bony, who immediately goes for goal, but his 20-yard effort flies inches past the post. That was not far away at all.

I mentioned before the game how much Swansea rely on Sigurdsson and Bony, but if they can keep those two fit for the entire season then they could well challenge for Europe this season. They have both shown glimpses of their quality already, threatening more than any West Ham player despite seeing nowhere near as much of the ball.

CHANCE! Cresswell got the only goal of the game against Newcastle recently, and he is looking for another here having made a fine run in behind the defence. Downing picks him out with a good ball over the top, but the left-back can only cushion his header straight into the arms of Fabianski.

Swansea almost gift West Ham a route back into the match as Williams and Bartley get in each other's way when trying to clear the ball. Nolan eventually picks it up and sees his effort deflected behind for a corner. Swansea can't clear the subsequent delivery, but Fabianski gets to the ball before Nolan to turn it behind once again.

West Ham got a lot of joy through long balls forward in the corresponding fixture last season, but they haven't been able to replicate that so far. Carroll has not had things his own way up against Bartley.

Well, they had dealt with him well until now! West Ham equalise just before half time, and it is a classic Carroll goal. Jenkinson does well down the right and swings his cross into the middle for the striker, who attacks it really well. He rises highest in the area and plants a fine header back across goal and into the far corner. Really good finish from the former Liverpool man.

A worry for West Ham as Kouyate goes down following an aerial challenge with Ki on the edge of the hosts' box. The Swansea man caught Kouyate there, but it was a genuine challenge for the ball and he should be fine to continue.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of two minutes added time at the end of this first half.

Chris Foy brings an end to the first half, and we're all square at the break here. West Ham have enjoyed the better of the match in terms of possession, but Swansea have looked dangerous when they have made it into the hosts' final third. It is very finely poised for the second 45 minutes.

It was Wilfried Bony who got the opening goal, his 19th of 2014 in the Premier League. It was a very good goal as well, with Sigurdsson and Montero combining down the left channel to create the chance. The latter pulled the ball back for Bony, who opened his body up and passed it into the net. It was Swansea's first chance of the game, but Bony was as lethal as ever in dispatching it.

While Bony continued his recent fine scoring form with that goal, Carroll ended a drought with the equaliser shortly before half time. It was a vintage Carroll header that drew the sides level as he planted a fine effort back across goal and into the far corner. Jenkinson did well down the right to get the cross into the box, but it was all about the finish.

Despite West Ham enjoying more of the ball, they have struggled to really get at Swansea and test Fabianski. Other than their goal they have only really fashioned one chance that has drawn a stop from the Swansea keeper, and that was a routine stop as Cresswell cushioned a tame header straight at the keeper. Allardyce will want more of a cutting edge from his side in the second half.

Swansea, meanwhile, have come close to adding a second through Bony, who fired an effort just past the post from outside the area. The visitors haven't seen much of the ball in the final third so far, but they have looked very dangerous when they have got it in an advanced position. The likes of Sigurdsson and Bony have looked sharp when they have got on the ball.

KICKOFF: West Ham get us back underway for the second half, and they have made a change at the break. Valencia has made way, with Sakho making his return from injury to replace him.

Swansea, for all their good form this season, have dropped 13 points from winning positions this season, so West Ham will be confident that they can complete the turnaround here. They have already come from behind to beat West Brom this week, and you wouldn't bet against them doing the same right now.

YELLOW CARD! Routledge becomes the first name in the book, and he can have no complaints having arrived late on Reid. Poor challenge, and the correct decision from the referee to show him a yellow.

A worry for Swansea here as Bartley goes down following a clash of heads with Kouyate. Both players only had eyes for the ball, but the Swansea defender has come away from it much worse off. He should be fine to continue, but it was a painful one.

Really good play from West Ham down the right as Song and Jenkinson combine to get the ball into the box. Sakho picks it up with his back to goal and does really well to keep hold of it under pressure from the Swansea defence, but they eventually crowd him out and Sakho concedes a free kick.

A minor flash point as Bartley accuses Kouyate of playing for a free kick, with the two players carrying on their argument for a while after. Chris Foy brings them together and settles things down, but it may we worth watching that as those two also clashed a few moments ago.

Fine play from Cresswell as he battles his way down the left flank, beating two defenders to create space for a cross. His delivery is sent into a very dangerous area, but Carroll is just a yard or so off the pace and can't get there.

West Ham are enjoying a good spell here and have been on top for the majority of this second half. It has been much like the first half, though, with West Ham struggling to really trouble Fabianski despite their possession.

OFF THE BAR! That is the danger for West Ham! Swansea breaks quickly with MOntero leading the charge before giving the ball to the dangerman Bony. He charges straight at the defence but unleashing a rocket of a shot that clips the top of the crossbar on its way over. It was past Adrian before he could even react then, so the West Ham keeper will have been relieved to see it strike the woodwork.

That would have been almost a carbon copy of the first half, with West Ham dominating the ball but Swansea stinging them against the run of play. The hosts need to make this possession count sooner rather than later as the visitors have shown that they can be dangerous even without seeing much of it.

Carroll has been the focal point of most of West Ham's play so far, but he is struggling to get much joy at the moment. He is certainly putting himself about up front, but there is only so much he can do with the long balls forward.

West Ham take the lead for the first time today, and it is Andy Carroll again who has got the goal! A corner arrives into the middle and the big striker makes it his own inside the box, rising highest to plant another header into the far corner. Britton tries to get back on the line, but he can only help the ball into the net.

Things go from bad to worse from Swansea as they are reduced to 10 men just minutes after falling behind! Sakho raced on to a ball behind the defence and beat both Williams and Fabianski to it. He knocks the ball past the keeper, who tries to impede him to no avail. Sakho carries on but can only hit the post, before Foy brings play back and flashes the red card. A very harsh decision as he didn't prevent the goalscoring opportunity.

SWANSEA SUB: Gerhard Tremmel makes an unexpected appearance from the bench to fill in between the sticks, with Britton the man sacrificed.

The hosts want a penalty as Carroll again causes problems in the middle, looking to get on the end of a cross. Bartley clearly pushes the striker, but Chris Foy waves the claims away. Anywhere else on the pitch that may well have been given.

SWANSEA SUB: Attacking change from the visitors as they look to get themselves back into this game. Bafetimbi Gomis comes on in place of Montero.

It really is a tough ask for Swansea now. They have no option to chase the game, but with 10 men that will be easier said than done. West Ham should be able to dominate the ball now given their numerical advantage in midfield.

OFF THE POST! West Ham have a magnificent chance to put this game to bed! Sakho does really well to take the ball past the last defender and race through on goal. He takes time to pick his spot with only Tremmel to beat, but drags his shot a little and sees it come back off the foot of the post again. Carroll was in support, but you can't blame Sakho for going for goal.

WEST HAM SUB: Jenkinson looks to have picked up a knock here and won't be able to continue. He limps off to be replaced by Joey O'Brien.

Swansea are beginning to put a bit of pressure on West Ham now. They win a string of corners and are looking the more likely to get a goal at the moment despite being down to 10 men. This one certainly isn't over yet.

SHOT! That pressure finally comes to an end as Bartley curls an effort well off target from the edge of the box. Sigurdsson and Bony both tried and failed to get a shot away before the ball arrived to the defender, whose effort was poor.

West Ham survived that bit of pressure and are now doing a good job of preventing Swansea from really knocking on the door. They would be very disappointed to let this lead slip now, but they aren't retreating too deep just yet.

WEST HAM SUB: A defensive change for the hosts as James Collins comes on in place of Kouyate.

Surely that is game over now! It is route one stuff as Carroll wins the first header, flicking it on for Sakho to race through. Swansea should defend it better, but Sakho is able to battle his way through and finishes it off by lashing an emphatic volley past Tremmel.

OFF THE LINE! The hosts come close to a fourth late on as Swansea struggle to deal with a corner into the box. Carroll wins the header yet again and it is turned goalwards at the back post, but Swansea are able to hack it off the line.

There will be five minutes of added time at the end of this match. Surely not enough time for Swansea to launch a comeback?

CHANCE! Lovely play from West Ham as they continue to look for that fourth goal. Cresswell and Downing combine down the left before the latter cuts inside and slips a nice pass in for Sakho. The striker gets his shot away from a tight angle, but Tremmel makes a fine stop to deny him a second.

West Ham will move up to third in the table with this win, which surpasses all expectations before the campaign began. That could change when Southampton host Manchester United tomorrow, but they will certainly enjoy their lofty league position while it lasts.

The referee brings an end to proceedings at Upton Park, and it is another successful day for West Ham as they run out 3-1 winners to move up to third in the table. The Hammers maintain their fine home form, while Swansea are still without a win on the road since the opening day. West Ham are now in their highest position since 1999, and they were worthy winners once again today.

It was Swansea who took the lead through Wilfried Bony as the Ivorian placed his effort past Adrian against the run of play. West Ham levelled things up before the break through an Andy Carroll header, and the former Liverpool man struck again to give his side the lead in the second half. Lukas Fabianski was then sent off for the visitors having raced off his line and been beaten to the ball by Sakho, and the striker wrapped up the points late on with an emphatic third goal.

Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole as West Ham moved into the Premier League's top three with victory over 10-man Swansea. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction, analysis and player ratings. Our coverage of the day's second game is already underway, and you can follow Aston Villa vs. Leicester City by clicking here. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!